Well, it is now 5:20 p.m and I have just got home.  They picked my up at 10:30 this morning and off we went to the souk.  I am sorry to say that I could not take photos.  It just was not appropriate.  The souk we went to was the real thing.  I was the only non Moroccan there.  It covers a large area and there were hundreds and hundreds of people.  We spent our time in the fruit and vegetable area, about three hours.  Next week we will go to the live animal section (too much for me the first week).  It is located on the outskirts of town and there were amazing views of the snow-capped High Atlas.  Everything is so fresh and cheap.  The farmers come in with their produce.  For example, mandarin or clementine oranges (yes the ones we buy at home in the little wood box this time of year), tomatoes, olives, bananas, a pineapple, and  a few other things which will keep me well supplied for the week cost about $10.00.

I did get two photos  in the parking area and if you look closely, and enlarge, you will see the snow-capped Atlas in the distance. Sorry for the bad shots, but it really was a point and shoot. The sun was shining so brightly I couldn't see the monitor.

After we went to their house.  Meryam, Houssaine's wife put away the produce, Yasmine prepared, from scratch, the dough, and Oumaima grated tomatoes.  They were preparing a Berber pizza for lunch.  It was delicious, but what a lot of work for a pizza.  When I say from scratch - they buy the wheat, Meryam cleans it and then Houssaine takes it to be milled - that is the flour they use daily.  Meryam bakes bread EVERYDAY. 

It doesn't sound like we did much, but believe me it was quite an experience.  This was by far the largest and most authentic market I have ever been to.

Christmas is almost here and, of course, they do not celebrate it, but Houssaine said that we would go to the Sahara on the 25th and come back on the 26th so that I could spend Christmas in a special way. Ouarzazate is just on the edge, so we will only have a five or six hour drive to the dunes.  How thoughtful of him.  When I was there in 2001 it was August and about 110C, now it will be really really really cold at night.  One of these years I might get it right and go in the spring or fall.

The internet is very slow today, so I will publish this and hope it works.